Putting an end to discrimination includes preventing it before it starts. To
do this, OCR provides information and other support services—known as technical
assistance—to a variety of interested parties, including schools and colleges
and community, student and parent groups. Assistance to educational institutions
helps them comply with federal civil rights requirements, while assistance to
parents, students and others informs them of their rights under law. OCR provides
technical assistance through a variety of methods, including onsite consultations,
conferences, training, community meetings and publishing and disseminating materials.

"Thanks for...educating our community residents. Your contributions inspire
our board members to serve our community even better in the future…We are
looking forward to collaborate to further serve the community."

E-mail message from a
representative of a community group
acknowledging OCR's technical assistance June 12, 2003

OCR coordinated and/or participated in a number of conferences during FY 2003.
In collaboration with the Department of Education's Office of Elementary
and Secondary Education, OCR hosted a conference on American Indian and Alaskan
Native education, No Child Left Behind: Providing Educational Opportunity
for American Indian and Alaskan Native Students, in Washington, DC. The conference,
which was attended by more than 200 educators, included presentations on reading,
English language acquisition, standards, assessment and accountability, safe schools,
school choice, charter schools, and technology. Information was provided to attendees
on No Child Left Behind programs and resources that support state and district-level
efforts to raise the academic achievement of American Indian and Alaskan Native
students.

OCR hosted a number of follow-up events around the country. Approximately 230
people attended a Regional American Indian Symposium sponsored by OCR, in cooperation
with Northern Arizona University and the WestEd Equity Assistance Center. More
than 250 people attended a second Regional American Indian Symposium, cosponsored
by OCR, Montana State University and the Interwest Equity Assistance Center. The
symposia included sessions on reading readiness, teacher quality, highly qualified
paraprofessionals, school choice, parental involvement, state civil rights laws
and OCR enforcement procedures and were attended by representatives from the states'
university systems, public schools, tribal governments, tribal schools, Bureau
of Indian Affairs schools, the White House Indian Initiative on Tribal Colleges
and Universities, and parents of Indian students. OCR staff also sponsored a workshop
in Minnesota for school districts and tribal leaders serving Native American students
in Minnesota and Wisconsin to address best practices in Indian student education
and efforts to improve the educational achievement of Native American students.

OCR staff conducted a number of presentations around the country addressing
a variety of other issues, including: access and transition from high school to
college for students with disabilities; racial, sexual, disability and national
origin harassment; provision of services to English language learners; minority
student access to gifted and talented programs and services; and misidentification
of minorities in special education programs. Participants at these presentations
included students, parents, teachers, school administrators, counselors, social
workers, school board members, state education officials, and advocacy group representatives.

For example, more than 200 educators attended a conference in North Dakota
at which OCR made a presentation on racial harassment and services for English
language learners. In another instance, OCR provided technical assistance on harassment
based on national origin to over 300 refugees and refugee service providers.

Twice a year, OCR staff provides training to state coordinators of vocational
education methods of administration. These state coordinators are responsible
for conducting their own comprehensive civil rights compliance reviews of vocational
education programs and schools funded by ED.

OCR also provides technical assistance to state departments of education and
local school districts on reducing referrals to special education by implementing
research-based reading programs.

In addition to these kinds of proactive initiatives, OCR responds to inquiries
and requests from the public. Calls and letters requesting assistance come from
other federal agencies, state agencies, local school districts, community groups,
parents and students.